Picture of the Day: Tropical Storm Isaac from Space at Night

TROPICAL STORM ISAAC FROM SPACE AT NIGHT

Early on August 28, 2012, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi-NPP satellite captured this nighttime view of Tropical Storm Isaac and the cities near the Gulf Coast of the United States. The image was acquired just after local midnight by the VIIRS “day-night band,” which detects light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses light intensification to enable the detection of dim signals. In this case, the clouds of Isaac were lit by moonlight. [Source]

Hurricane Isaac was downgraded to a tropical storm earlier today but continues to impact Louisiana with heavy rains and ferocious winds. Isaac started losing strength earlier in the day with sustained winds of 75 mph, the National Hurricane Center reported. Late Wednesday afternoon, Isaac was located about 50 miles west southwest of New Orleans moving to the northwest at 6 mph. Widespread flooding was reported in New Orleans and other coastal cities. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu issued a curfew for the city, set to start Wednesday night and last until further notice. [Source]